Bryan Singer confirms that his Battlestar Galactica movie is on hold

February 19, 2013 - By Andrew Flynn

Bryan Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns) has confirmed in a new interview that his proposed Battlestar Galactica movie has officially been put on hold. The project was first announced back in 2011 but never really gained any momentum, largely due to the popularity of the epic TV series reboot, which had only just ended.

“I have that one on hold for a moment, so hopefully, I’d love to be able to get back to that, but for now I’m just focused on this X-Men business.”

This is great news for Galactica fans opposed to a film adaptation of the TV series, principally because it would be based on the original 1970s version, which is very dated. Battlestar Galactica achieved massive critical and commercial acclaim in 2003 when it was re-imagined for a modern audience, itlaunched with a mini-series and ran until 2009. The show starred Edward James Olmos, Jamie Bamber, Katee Sackoff, Tricia Helfer, James Callis and Grace Park.

Here’s the synopsis:

“Battlestar Galactica chronicled the journey of the last surviving humans from the Twelve Colonies of Kobol after their nuclear annihilation by the Cylons. The survivors are led by President Laura Roslin and Commander William Adama in a ragtag fleet of ships with the Battlestar Galactica, an old but powerful warship, as its command ship. Pursued by Cylons intent on wiping out the remnants of the human race, the survivors travel across the galaxy looking for the fabled and long-lost “thirteenth” colony: Earth.”

Bryan Singer has since gone on to direct Jack the Giant Slayer (starring Nicholas Hoult) and pre-production on his next film, X-Men: Days of Future Past is currently under-way.

I loved the remake, and any film adaptation I would hope would be more modernized like the tv show was. Sci-fi gets so disrespected nowadays.

Doug

I really don’t see the argument about this potential movie between fans of the original series from 1978 and fans of the re-imagined series that started in 2004…it seems to me that there is middle ground here. The original fans see the reimagined version as too dark, too racy, lacking the “family” atmosphere, and upbeat feeling of the original. On the other hand, the reimagined version fans feel the older one is “too campy”, dated, etc…but then of course it is since it was made in ’78. TV was different back then….consider other shows that debuted in 1978: Mork & Mindy, Taxi, Vegas, WKRP in Cincinnati, etc…which one of those viewed today doesn’t seem “campy”, “cheesy”, and dated? The original premise can certainly be updated and told from a more modern perspective…at the same time it doesn’t have to be as dark and steamy to be as imaginative as the re-imagined series. There IS middle ground here, and the story of humanity being defeated, driven from their home, and hunted by a powerful enemy among the stars remains compelling, as does the basic characterizations of Adama, Apollo, Starbuck, etc. I think there is room for the old series, re-imagined series, and this movie to all exist. Certainly there will be some crossover among the three and the basic story should remain the same…but there is a lot that can be done with this universe that hasn’t already been done and there is a lot left to explore here. I just hope if they ever get this movie done that they base it as much on story and character as on action…I think that is something both series figured out and have in common.